<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>moral support by starkly</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28258659">moral support</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly'>starkly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>you've been thunderstruck [20]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Parents, M/M, Single Parents, Tony Stark is Good With Kids</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:54:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28258659</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor's having a tough time adjusting to taking care of his little brother. Thankfully, meeting one of the other parent volunteers at Loki's school helps change that.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tony Stark/Thor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>you've been thunderstruck [20]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>moral support</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally written for NaNoWriMo 2020 and <a href="https://aleator.tumblr.com/post/635828424691351552">posted here</a> on my tumblr writing blog. This fic was proofread before being uploaded here but is otherwise unchanged.</p>
<p>Prompts taken from the AU-gust 2020 challenge list on Twitter. Day Twenty: Single Parents AU.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thor never expected to be a single dad at age twenty-five, especially not to his adopted younger brother. Odin and Frigga had him young, and when he’d grown up and moved out they got Loki. But nobody could’ve predicted the accident that took their lives five years later, so here Thor is, trying to figure out how this all works with a little brother he barely knows and who doesn’t seem to like him much.</p>
<p>At least with Loki starting kindergarten Thor doesn’t have to be with him every moment of the day, and with any luck he’ll make friends and feel less alone in this big, scary world.</p>
<p>The first time Loki brings home a flyer about parent volunteers at the school, Thor throws it out and doesn’t think twice. The second time, Loki brings multiples, leaving them in odd places around the apartment, and Thor supposes that’s his subtle way of insisting that Thor volunteer.</p>
<p>So that’s how Thor ends up in a classroom full of five-year-olds, assisting in that week’s arts and crafts project.</p>
<p>The other volunteer for the day is a dark-haired man who looks a little older than him, whose name tag says “Mr. Stark.” He gives Thor a friendly smile as they shake hands, and Thor smiles back, feeling a little less awkward about being here.</p>
<p>“So, first time volunteering?” Stark asks afterward while they’re cleaning up the project. The kids have moved on to snack time, giving him and Thor time to clean without interference.</p>
<p>“Was it obvious?” Thor says with a little laugh.</p>
<p>“Only a little,” Stark replies, not unkindly. He tips his head toward the group of kids. “Which one’s yours?”</p>
<p>“Oh, uh, the boy on the end, who won’t let go of the snake plushie,” Thor says, looking over at Loki as he waits in line to get his milk carton. “What about you?”</p>
<p>“The girl in the NASA sweatshirt,” Stark says proudly. He’s practically beaming as he looks over at her. Her shoes light up when she walks and this seems to be some kind of signifier of social status because she always has other kids crowded around her. Thor looks back over at Loki, alone with his snake toy, and frowns.</p>
<p>Stark notices his expression and follows his gaze. “Hey,” he says gently, getting Thor’s attention back on him. “Would, uh, your boy--”</p>
<p>“Loki,” Thor offers.</p>
<p>“Would Loki be interested in a playdate with Morgan? She doesn’t bite, I promise. I weaned her off that at least a year ago.” Stark grins and Thor can’t tell if he’s actually joking or not.</p>
<p>But Thor can’t really pass up any opportunities for Loki to make friends, so he nods. “That would be great, actually. I can give you my phone number?”</p>
<p>“Sure. I’ll give you mine too, text me anytime,” Stark says, pulling out his phone.</p>
<p>They swap numbers and Thor finds out that Stark’s first name is Tony. Feeling a little better about this whole parenthood thing, Thor helps finish cleaning up the kids’ art project with Tony, determined to set up something for Loki and Morgan soon.</p>
<p>It takes some coaxing, but he gets Loki to agree to have a playdate with Morgan. He texts Tony with a suggested date and time to see if they’re free, and Tony texts back with an affirmative. Thor takes Loki over to the Stark residence that weekend, trying not to look too impressed by how nice their house. Compared to the cramped apartment he lives in with Loki, this place seems like a palace.</p>
<p>Despite Loki’s reticence (which is more likely wariness than shyness), Morgan is eager to have Loki over, showing off her toys to him and offering them to him. After a few minutes of this, Thor is shocked to see Loki actually set down his snake plush and take one of the toys Morgan shows to him.</p>
<p>He and Tony are sitting in the kitchen, far away enough to give the kids some space but close enough that they can keep an eye on them. Thor sips at a root beer that Tony got out of the fridge for him and tries not to look completely out of his depth.</p>
<p>“I’m glad you decided to come over,” Tony says, smiling at Thor. “Morgan might not look it, but she can actually be pretty shy, so I know what it’s like trying to help her make friends.”</p>
<p>“I’m actually pretty new at this,” Thor admits, rubbing his thumb against the label on his root beer bottle. “Loki’s technically my younger brother but I’m, uh, his guardian now.”</p>
<p>Tony’s gaze is sympathetic as he sets down his own bottle of root beer. “I’m sorry. That must be rough.”</p>
<p>Thor shrugs. “I’m figuring it out as I go, I guess.”</p>
<p>“I was twenty-five when Morgan was born,” Tony says. “Her mom’s not in the picture. She was going to put her up for adoption, but I couldn’t just let her go. I had no idea what I was doing at all. And now look at her.” He smiles again, looking over at the living room where the kids have dumped out a huge bin of Legos and are busy building.</p>
<p>He looks back at Thor a moment later. “What I’m trying to say is you’ll be fine. It just takes some practice. And you’ve got me to help.”</p>
<p>“Have I now?” Thor replies, touched by the sentiment but hiding it behind his amusement. “I guess nothing can go wrong now.”</p>
<p>They spend the rest of the afternoon chatting while the kids play, and when it’s time to go Loki doesn’t have his stuffed snake but a plastic robot in his hands.</p>
<p>“Morgan and I are trading,” he tells Thor, holding the robot carefully. “But only for a little bit.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like we’ll have to come back soon then,” Thor says with a smile, glancing back up at Tony. “As long as it’s okay with Mr. Stark.”</p>
<p>“It’s very okay with Mr. Stark,” Tony replies, grinning. “You can come back anytime, Loki.”</p>
<p>Morgan says goodbye to them while clinging to Tony’s legs, Loki’s stuffed snake in her hand, and Thor waves goodbye to her and her dad before he leads Loki out the door.</p>
<p>“So I take it you enjoyed your playdate?” Thor asks Loki as they walk down to the sidewalk.</p>
<p>Loki nods. “Did you?”</p>
<p>Thor glances down at him. “Hm?”</p>
<p>“Did you have fun with Mr. Stark?”</p>
<p>Thor laughs, surprised, but says, “Yeah, I guess I did.”</p>
<p>“So we can go back soon?”</p>
<p>Reaching down, Thor ruffles Loki’s hair in the way he knows annoys him. “Yeah, kid. Whatever you want.”</p>
<p>Thor definitely won’t complain if there are plenty of visits with the Starks in their future. No complaints at all.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>